Favorite Underrated Bands #4 - The Chameleons
@teamfreak16 (43418)
Denver, Colorado
July 22, 2016 8:59pm CST
If you're reading this, you undoubtedly have a list of underrated bands that is probably as long as your arm. I have one, which I've whittled down to ten. Hence, my Favorite Underrated Bands series. We're at #4, The Chameleons.
Yet another great Manchester post-punk band, The Chameleons (known as The Chameleons UK here in the States) formed in 1981.
The band, vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess (he of the clever lyrics,) guitar twins Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever, signed after a few stints on the BBC's John Peel show. In their first go-round, they released three albums before calling it quits, and three more after a reunion.
The Chameleons' sound was built around Burgess' lyrics (he's one of those "never wrote a lyric I don't like" guys,) and the guitar play of Smithies and Fielding. The group never recorded a song that I didn't like (even my favorite band, The Mission, has a few tunes I don't care much for,) and, as far as I'm concerned, are one of those bands that never quite got the recognition they deserved.
I'll leave you with my favorite Chameleons song, the haunting "Here Today," about the moment of John Lennon's murder from Lennon's point of view. It's brilliant.
The Chameleons - Here Today (Script Of The Bridge, 1983) Picture by Leopoldo Pomés.
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4 responses
@MetalheadQueen (9)
• United States
23 Jul 16
What a great idea for a discussion! You are correct in that just about everybody has a list of bands they love, and feel that they have not received their just desserts. In my opinion, five bands that I love and feel are highly underrated are Epica, Type O Negative, Hum, Push Monkey (no longer together), and Lacuna Coil.
@mawdest (1587)
• Canada
25 Jul 16
@teamfreak16 Man, you really should check out Pushmonkey and Hum, they both essentially had their sound in the 90's.. Some good songs to look up for Pushmonkey: "Handslide" and "Ashtray Red" for Hum: "Stars"
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Jul 16
I'd say so. I only know Type O and Lacuna Coil from your list. And I pride myself on music knowledge.
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@mawdest (1587)
• Canada
25 Jul 16
I must admit, I had never heard of these guys. Of course, oblivious me I went over to Spotify.. (did not realize you posted that song from youtube, silly me) Looked up The Chameleons.. And first song I see is "Swamp Thing" so I play it! Sounds really great, I will have to listen to these guys some more, I always kind of used to not think much of 80's music, but I am more and more getting in to that decade now :)
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@mawdest (1587)
• Canada
26 Jul 16
@teamfreak16 Yeah man, I like them! That's great!
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Jul 16
That's cool. I hope you end up liking them. They are definitely a favorite of mine.
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@crossbones27 (49703)
• Mojave, California
23 Jul 16
I have always like this band and do consider them an under the radar band. Good review.
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Jul 16
Thanks! I wish more people knew about them.
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@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Jul 16
Another familiar "relic" of the 80s. Is there no end to 80s bands? I guess it's the same in every decade but it seems the 80s were crammed.
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Jul 16
Tons of great, often innovative bands. People make fun of the 80's, but a lot of great music came out of that decade.
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@MetalheadQueen (9)
• United States
23 Jul 16
@teamfreak16 True, but many teens and YAs love 80s music. I know this from reading comments for vids of 80s music on YouTube.
